Crunchyroll Studios

Crunchyroll Studios was the in-house animation production division of Crunchyroll. It was established in August 2018 under the name Ellation Studios, during a period when Ellation operated Crunchyroll and the VRV streaming platform within Otter Media. The studio was created to develop original animated programming for those services, extending Crunchyroll's role beyond licensing and distributing Japanese animation into commissioning, co-producing, and directly developing original projects. The studio's creation followed several changes in the ownership and organizational structure surrounding Crunchyroll. The Chernin Group acquired a controlling interest in Crunchyroll in 2013, and AT&T and The Chernin Group formed Otter Media in 2014 as a joint venture focused on over-the-top video services. Otter Media subsequently became the majority owner of Crunchyroll and its related services. Ellation, the umbrella organization for subscription video products including Crunchyroll and VRV, announced the formation of Ellation Studios in 2018. The studio operated with production facilities in both the United States and Japan, reflecting the relationship between the American streaming business and the Japanese animation industry. Its best-known publicly documented project was High Guardian Spice, an animated fantasy series created by Raye Rodriguez. The project was developed over several years before becoming a Crunchyroll original. It was initially conceived as a series for younger audiences and was pitched to other animation companies before being developed with Crunchyroll. Production began in 2017, and the project was promoted as part of Crunchyroll's move into original content. Although initially expected to arrive in 2019, its release was delayed, and the series eventually premiered in 2021. The production generated public discussion about its development, marketing, delays, and representation. Crunchyroll Studios existed during a broader expansion of the Crunchyroll Originals initiative. In February 2020, Crunchyroll announced a group of original animated projects under that label, including projects that were co-produced or directly produced rather than necessarily made entirely by the in-house studio. The studio therefore formed part of a wider content strategy rather than functioning as the sole producer of every Crunchyroll Original. The corporate context changed again after AT&T acquired The Chernin Group's interest in Otter Media in 2018 and Otter Media was reorganized within WarnerMedia. In 2019, Crunchyroll expanded its European corporate presence through the acquisition of a majority stake in Viz Media Europe, which was later rebranded as Crunchyroll SAS. During this period, the Ellation name was repositioned within the Crunchyroll structure, while VRV became a Crunchyroll brand. The production operation was subsequently known as Crunchyroll Studios. Following Sony's acquisition of Crunchyroll, the in-house production studios were closed in August 2021. The closure ended Crunchyroll Studios as an operating studio, although Crunchyroll continued to commission, license, and distribute animated content through other production arrangements. The Crunchyroll Originals label was also quietly discontinued in the period following the acquisition.

Crunchyroll Studios originated in the corporate and strategic expansion of Crunchyroll beyond anime licensing and streaming distribution. In December 2013, The Chernin Group acquired a controlling interest in Crunchyroll, while existing management and investor TV Tokyo retained significant interests. The following year, AT&T and The Chernin Group created Otter Media, a joint venture intended to acquire and develop over-the-top video services. Otter Media became the majority owner of Crunchyroll and later organized its subscription video businesses under the Ellation name. Ellation's portfolio included Crunchyroll and VRV. VRV launched in 2016 as a streaming service aimed at audiences interested in animation, games, comedy, fantasy, and technology. In January 2018, Otter Media acquired the remaining stake in Ellation and integrated the business into its consumer division. Later that year, AT&T acquired The Chernin Group's stake in Otter Media. Against this background, Ellation announced Ellation Studios on August 22, 2018. The new studio had facilities in the United States and Japan and was designed to produce original content for Crunchyroll and VRV. The studio's most prominently documented project was High Guardian Spice, created by Raye Rodriguez. The concept had been developed and pitched for several years before Crunchyroll accepted it as an original series. Development work included pitch materials, writing, story editing, and voice-production activity. Production began in 2017, and the project was initially expected to be released in early 2019. The release was delayed, however, and production was reported to have finished in autumn 2019. The delay and limited communication around the series attracted criticism and commentary from reviewers and observers, including discussion of Crunchyroll's handling of the production and its public messaging. The series was eventually released in 2021. Ellation's corporate environment continued to change. In 2019, Otter Media was reorganized within WarnerMedia, while Crunchyroll also acquired a majority stake in Viz Media Europe and later rebranded that business as Crunchyroll SAS. The Ellation name was subsequently associated with Crunchyroll's Moldovan subsidiary, and VRV became a Crunchyroll brand. As the business increasingly used Crunchyroll as its principal identity, Ellation Studios became known as Crunchyroll Studios. In February 2020, Crunchyroll announced seven projects under its Crunchyroll Originals label. The label included animation that Crunchyroll co-produced or directly produced, so it represented a wider content initiative than the in-house studio alone. Crunchyroll Studios was part of the company's attempt to establish a recognizable pipeline of original animated programming for its international streaming audience. Sony completed its acquisition of Crunchyroll in 2021. Following the transaction, Crunchyroll Studios was shut down in August 2021. The closure ended the studio's direct operating role, and the Crunchyroll Originals identity was subsequently discontinued quietly. Crunchyroll continued to operate as an anime-focused streaming and entertainment business, but future original and exclusive programming was handled through external studios, co-production arrangements, licensing, and other production structures rather than through the former in-house studio.

• 2021

  Crunchyroll Studios closes

  [1]Crunchyroll Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The in-house studio shut down in August after Sony acquired Crunchyroll.

• 2020

  Crunchyroll announces its Originals slate

  [1]Crunchyroll Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The company announced seven projects under the Crunchyroll Originals label, including co-produced and directly produced animated works.

• 2019

  Crunchyroll expands its European corporate presence

  [1]Crunchyroll Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Crunchyroll acquired a majority stake in Viz Media Europe, which was later rebranded as Crunchyroll SAS.

• 2018

  Ellation Studios is established

  [1]Crunchyroll Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Ellation created an animation production studio with facilities in the United States and Japan for Crunchyroll and VRV original programming.

• 2017

  High Guardian Spice enters production

  [1]Crunchyroll Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Production began on the animated series that became the studio's best-known documented project.

• 2016

  VRV launches

  [1]Crunchyroll Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Ellation launched VRV as a streaming platform serving audiences interested in animation and related enthusiast content.

• 2014

  Otter Media is formed

  [1]Crunchyroll Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  AT&T and The Chernin Group established a joint venture focused on acquiring and developing over-the-top video services.

• 2013

  The Chernin Group acquires a controlling interest in Crunchyroll

  [1]Crunchyroll Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The investment reshaped the ownership structure that later led to the creation of Otter Media and Ellation's original-production activities.

A streaming-platform-owned animation studio intended to develop original, anime-oriented programming and broaden Crunchyroll's role from distributor to producer and commissioner.

• Original animated series · 2021

  High Guardian Spice

  A fantasy animated series created by Raye Rodriguez and developed as a Crunchyroll original. The project follows young characters connected with a magical guardian-training setting and was developed over several years before entering production. It was initially scheduled for an earlier release but experienced substantial delays. Production was completed before the series was released in 2021, making it the most prominently documented title associated with Ellation Studios and the later Crunchyroll Studios identity.

• 2021

  Close the in-house studio after Sony's acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Sony's acquisition of Crunchyroll changed the ownership and operating structure of the streaming business.

  Action taken

  Crunchyroll Studios was shut down in August 2021, ending its operation as an in-house production studio.

  Aftermath

  Crunchyroll continued to release and commission animated content through other arrangements, but the former studio and its original-production label no longer operated as before.

  Source

• 2020

  Launch a Crunchyroll Originals slateProduct launch

  Background

  Crunchyroll sought to expand its identity from an anime distributor and streamer into a producer and commissioner of original animated programming.

  Action taken

  The company announced seven series under the Crunchyroll Originals label, including projects directly produced or co-produced by Crunchyroll.

  Aftermath

  The label was later quietly discontinued after Sony acquired Crunchyroll and the in-house studios were closed.

  Source

• 2018

  Create an in-house original-animation studioStrategy

  Background

  Ellation operated Crunchyroll and VRV while the parent business was expanding its streaming portfolio and seeking more original programming.

  Action taken

  Ellation established Ellation Studios with facilities in the United States and Japan to develop original content for Crunchyroll and VRV.

  Aftermath

  The studio later became known as Crunchyroll Studios and contributed to Crunchyroll's broader original-content strategy.

  Source

1. 1Crunchyroll Studiosen.wikipedia.org